76ers or Knicks: Which teams is a bigger wild card in the East? | NBA Today

76ers or Knicks: Which teams is a bigger wild card in the East? | NBA Today

Now the Knicks and Suns have vote dropped six of their last 10 games but help may be on the way call Shan Theo the temperature is rising the temperature you know what I did right there it’s time for what’s burning for all of the latest news from our own

Ramona shelburn so Ramona let’s start with the guy that really helped turn the Nick season around ogan and Obi well he has gone from out to questionable so anytime you see a change on the injury report like that makes you think a guy is getting really close to coming back

There is a chance he plays tonight it’s going to depend on how he feels going through warm-ups getting ready for this game so it’s not 100% but there is a chance that he plays first time since February and having surgery on that elbow so you’re telling me there’s a

Chance now sticking with the Knicks what’s the latest on Julius Randall you know he posted a video the other day on his Instagram of him shooting and it says it is what you think it is huh you know the sense I get is he’s not all that close to returning there’s

Still optimism he can come back but the fact that he posted a video of himself shooting he’s using his left hand that shoulder is going to you got to make sure he comes back and stays back you don’t want to pop it out again so you have to get back in shape conditioning

Wise and make sure that it’s stable but that is a good update and switching to the other side of the matchup there are no names bigger than Joel and beid what can you tell us about his recovery well he’s not anywhere close right now to

Coming back but he is able to get on the court and do some light work here the hope that they have in Philly is that they can just stay in the mix for Joelle and be to come back the last last week or so of the Season at Le at least where

He has a chance to get back some conditioning before the playoffs now to stay in the mix they will also need Tyrese Maxi how about Joel’s running mate well he’s back from his concussion he feels great obviously missed four games with that and yeah I T I texted

With him this morning he says I feel great I’m excited to be back don’t worry about me we’re good to go and I and I think that’s so important for them because as we mentioned they’re sitting there at that six spot one game away from the four and five spot and this is

A chance to gain some ground and build that cushion because you don’t want to end up in the playin tournament with a Chance of Joel embiid let’s let’s dive in further I like that because this is where the Eastern standings are as the Knicks and Sixers are each trying to

Make sure that they avoid the play in at all costs both teams are currently in the playoffs but with just over a month left to play a lot can change as Stephen A would say the list could be fluid now it’s going to be an uphill battle really

For either of these teams the Knicks or the Sixers to crack that top three but that doesn’t mean that they can’t really make noise in the playoffs right so Zach what team do you think is the bigger wild card at this point in the season Philly or New

York that whole thing is a five car pile up on the highway the whole thing is a wild card I have no idea how the hell that’s going to shake out but if you’re talking about wild card like varant from floor to ceiling it’s got to be the

Sixers because they have that one dude that was a combination of Shaq Durk and alijan all in one averaging 35 points a game more than a point a minute before he got hurt and we don’t know when he’s coming back we don’t know if he’ll make

It in time we don’t know what condition he’ll be in when he comes back but just that looming possibility of that guy being on a 5 six S8 seed that’s as wild a wild card as there is and wild comp sha Dirk elijuan for one Joel embiid are

You on that same side with the Sixers being the Wild Card Austin uh I’m not wrong I’m not mad at his answer but I’m going to go with the Nicks and here’s why you know we at least have a timetable with Julius Randle coming back timetable at least we

Have some type of positivity we really don’t know what’s going on with Jolan be is just now getting on the court he’s also a whole different size of a man in terms of weight and him getting on the court and actually being able to be back

To himself his tolerance by the way in terms of his toll on his body and what he has to go through I think is even more than what Julie has you know the Knicks I think are a better put about role players and and this is a team that

We were talking about contending in title containing a couple months ago prior to the injuries now the addition of their new players you have Julius back in the picture if he is able to come back that is not a team you would want to play early on you’re hoping they

Can hang on and contend because it’s good for basketball when the Knicks are good where’s Rick patino okay where is he because Joel embiid might be walking through that door as Jack said as Z said I mean that to me that is the biggest that’s the MVP that’s sitting out there

Who might be walking through that door but Ramona they’re on two different timelines I do think that Health might make the Sixers feel like they should push for the future but Zach look that oh it’s fine you can make if Joel embiid the MVP can come back

This season and I know that the Sixers have optimism that he if they if they’re in it if his knee responds well if his ramp up goes well there’s a lot of okay but he’s still Joel embiid he still could walk through that door there’s no bigger Game Changer out there for any

Team than the reigning MVP who could come back for the Philadelphia 76ers getting Tyrese Maxi back is huge he’s they they held down the fort without him but they really need him and he’s recovered well from this concussion he’s going to play but I I I know what you’re

Saying Austin about the Knicks they they look like a team that could go to the Conference Finals when they had all those guys healthy for a couple of games right they went it was only a few games that they were all healthy but nobody is

As big of a Difference Maker as Joel and be but look at these numbers cuz I tried to toss it to Zach and I wanted him to Talk Nerdy to you but instead I’ll just do it myself look right here those numbers they have struggled as of late

Look at points per game2 to 99 like these are two teams that desperately need their Stars 42% they’re almost having that Spider-Man what is it gif that that emoji like they’re both on The Struggle Bus but my answer are the Knicks just because the timeline benefits them right right now in the

Moment potentially moving forward time for a little chop it or drop it I’ll throw you all a topic and you can decide if we need to chop it up or drop it and move on y’all got the rules right starting with Milwaukee in Sunday’s win over the Clippers Dam and gannis became

Just the third duo in the last 50 years to each post 30 points 10 assists in the same game plus Chris Middleton who hasn’t played since before the trade deadline is nearing his return so Ramona the Bucks are hitting their stride chop it or drop it yeah we’ll chop it just a

Little bit because as Doc Rivers was telling me before their game the other night he’s really working on that two-man game between Dame and Giannis before this they were kind of trading off now they’re playing together they know how much they need each other and how much the other helps them to get

Better Chris Middleton had been upgraded from to questionable now back downgraded again so he’s nearing his return but not quite there yet Zach are you buying the Bucks being better I am buying them the Twan Chemistry Between Dam and Yannis is coming Al on and look if you have

Giannis and you have Dame you have a chance Chris Middleton biggest wild card in the league they need him fully healthy to have any shot to get through Boston in the playoffs if they have that they got a punch his chance at least let’s go from east to now west next up

The New Orleans Pelicans who have the NBA’s longest active win streak at four games it’s all right four straight dubs Zack low earlier this season you called the pels a sleeping giant in the west and they were also the main character of your wildly successful pod podcast can

The pals Make Some Noise can playoff time chop it or drop it yeah the giant is starting to wake up a little bit someone hit it on the head it’s stirring in bed it’s trying to get hungry this is the best the Pelicans have ever played in the Zion Williamson

Era the Rhythm Is there the defensive effort up and down the roster are there The Vibes are good in New Orleans herb Jones Jr and Trey Murphy thei have kind of unlocked that team do not sleep on the Pelicans they are a problem right now okay uh Austin do you think that the

Vibes are Immaculate in New Orleans yeah I got to chop it the playoffs the game always slows down it becomes a possession by possession game defense becomes a little bit physical I love the length and size of the Pelicans you talk about herb Jones Trey Murphy Brandon Ingram Zion Williams these guys

Are all 68 69 610 they are going to be a problem in the playoffs not to mention what they can do in the offensive end and where we haven’t even thrown in CJ McCullum in that mix they’re definitely a team to look out for in the playoffs

The way that you just described the Pelicans you can sort of make the same argument for the Cavs because after missing his seven straight game on Monday Donovan Mitchell has now failed to play an 18 contest they will really need him back to make that postseason push making him ineligible for any

Postseason Awards including all NBA now Donovan Mitchell is just the latest of notable names that won’t be able to hit that 65 game threshold he joins Joel embiid Jimmy Butler Draymond green Kyrie Irving and Chris staps porzingis you can see the list right there amongst those players that have failed probably

Projected to make that that situation so Austin is the new R going according to plan you know the NBA Institute 65 games these guys aren’t eligible do you want to chop this or do you want to drop it chop it I mean listen cause and effect of course there’s always going to

Be a downside to new things coming about new rules being placed in but look at what’s happening in La man we got Kawhi Leonard playing games we have Paul George out there healthy we have a a number of guys who are historically injured playing multiple games and yes

That could be the timing of these guys just bodies feeling healthy who knows uh but I I like this rule being in place it is a tough one because some of these guys are going to be out you know making NBA teams and awards but that’s just

What it is I think for the long benefit of the game you’re going to have multiple guys play through the little knick-knack injuries that they could easily play or what you would see typically in the ’90s early 2000s guys playing we’re now going to see these

Guys play and listen you have fans come into games you want to see the Stars play I like the rule get these guys on the court go out there and play yeah no pering is based off of what we saw with that but there’s been no problem really

In Boston because the Celtics became the first team to 50 wins this season reaching the mark in 64 games their fewest since 20072 2008 when they won the championship so Ramona chop it or drop it Boston being the first team to hit the 50 wins matters all about June

For this team it’s not about how many wins they get in the regular season they got a win to make to make this season a success so if we’re going to drop it how about this the NBA on Sunday finded M Minnesota Timberwolf Center Rudy goar 100 thou $100,000 for making a money

Gesture at an official and criticizing officiating on Friday night now after the OT loss you can see it right there goar didn’t deny what he did and went further in saying that sports betting could be having a major impact on the outcome of games Ramona how big of an

Issue is this and this is why we saw the high level of the fine oh I was in a way almost surprised that he didn’t get games for this because of how important the gambling Association is for the NBA for all professional sports this has become a huge story in all sports and

For somebody to publicly question and not just with a gesture but with his words afterwards is very unsettling for the NBA and anyone in professional sports yeah they’re trying to dissuade that in the NBA which is why we saw a very Hefty sign now

Ramona Shelburne joins Chiney Ogwumike on NBA Today to discuss the latest on OG Anunoby, Julius Randle, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey as they recover from injuries. Zach Lowe and Austin Rivers add the conversation as they debate if the New York Knicks or Philadelphia 76ers are a bigger wild card in the Eastern Conference before playing Chop It or Drop It.

0:00 What’s Burne-Ing
2:20 Bigger Wild Card?
6:05 Chop It or Drop It

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